lovebird behaviour

[anasona]

Hi all,
I just purchsed a 3 month old lovebird about a week ago and "he" seems to be settling in fine. He loves it when i give him cuddles and pat him and he LOVES climbing into my hair and sitting there.

When i try to take him out of my hair (by grabbing him gently), he gets really aggressive and starts to chirp loudly and bites me. How else do i take him out of my hair? I know he doesn't like it when i grab him, but he has only started to learn "step up", so I don't know how else to take him out.

He also chirps (more like squeaks) loudly when I put my hand in his cage to get him out. I think he squeaks when he feels like i am going to attack him or something :confused:. He seems fine when he's out of the cage: he snuggles up to be and sleeps on me for hours. I don't know what's the problem.

Also, when I try to take him out of his cage, he flies away to the wall and attaches himself to the blinds, frantically climbing up away from me. How do i approach him when he's this scared? Do I just go and grab him and then cuddle him, reassuring that i'm not a monster? Or do i just slowly approach him (i tried this, but he still keeps running away from me).

I think that's enough questions :S Sorry!

[linda040899]

Hi and welcome to our community!
Congratulations on your new lovebird! Since you've only had him for about a week, it's going to take a bit of time for him to realize that you mean him no harm. You may know that but he has to experience it. Think about how you feel when you are in a strange place that you don't know anything about and you can relate to where he's at right now. Patience......

The reason he gets aggressive when you try to take him out of your hair is because he likes it there (safe feeling) and you want him to do something he doesn't want to do. Temporary solution would be not to allow him there until he's more comfortable with his new home.

Thoughts on wing clipping will vary around the globe but clipping 3-4 of his flights on each wing will limit where he can go and you will find he will be more willing to stay with you if he's away from his cage. The feathers will grow back, probably with his first molt, and that short period of time will give you enough time to demonstrate to him that you are not to be feared.

[HaleBoppPeachyluv]

i would definitely suggest clipping as it will limit their range while getting used to you.

I wouldn't grab, but maybe just continue offering finger/open flat hand & pushing up under the belly. I've also just gone in the bedroom & slowly laid down. Lovie then retreats to a higher spot than my head (like shoulder, etc) , or hops off on the bed & then onto my hand.

In order to get sunnybird down from higher ground that I cannot reach, I usually resort to this.

It's a birdy ladder & those twisty rope perches. Sometimes it takes a little chasing but she'll eventually hop on. :)

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/abalinbi/ladder_2811.jpg

[Gill]

My hen bobble is exactly the same, when shes on me (shoulder etc) if i try to pick her off she goes mad screaming and biting me whilst holding on so tight so i have to patiently wait until she climbs onto my hand or onto a piece of furniture so i can scoop her up and put her back in the cage. This is particularly difficult when im not quick enough putting her water bowl back in the cage in the morning, once shes on me thats it! Late for work! :)

[FuzzyAga]

My foundling, Juanita, spent virtually the whole week on my shoulder, under my hair, while she got the lay of the land; i.e., when she wasn't in her cage. It's usually a sign of insecurity in a new bird, and for an established bird, a cuddle. :)

As part of on-going training of Juanita's Chickopea, when he would stay on my shoulder, and I wanted him off, I would gently wrap my hand around his body, for he seemed to have no fear this way, and once I had my hand securely around his body, wait a second or two, then gently push my ring finger against his legs, and as he clamped onto my finger, I would say, "Step-up!" and remove him.

Whereever he was, maybe on the top of Juanita's cage, I would slowly wrap my hand around his body, wait a second or two to allow him to relax, and then remove him. Grabbing him off a cage is easy because you can use two hands.

In this situation, I have found that it's kinder and gentler on his feet to wait a second after grabbing him, push the finger of the other free hand against his legs, ask, "Step-up!" wait for one foot to clamp onto your finger (he will), push upward with the same finger that he's clamped onto (he will release his other standing foot from the cage) and remove him two-handed. I've observed that it's not good to grab and then yank free. Give him time to release his grip. Hope it's not too confusing.

The last tip is to use a cheesecloth draped over the open door to prevent an escape. You can see through it to go about your business, but he can't get out. Use a piece as big as the side of the cage and hold it on top by placing some weight on it at the top. :) I use this trick to get Petey out when I don't want Juanita to come out, too. Petey is fast so the cheesecloth keeps him from zipping out the side or a small corner opening.

[anasona]

Thanks for all your advice :)
His wings are clipped, he justs flies from object to object until he is very high up. I will try all your suggestions!

[LovelySydney]

When it comes to getting Oliver out of my hair I just have to pull him out - he actually burrows himself, I don't even know how he does it. There is really no other way we can get him out except with our hands. Congrats on your new baby!!!